Mr Wildenauer said he had planned to open up some of the hotel’s renovated rooms this peak tourist season but the emergency order had put paid to that money-making exercise.

“We have been working really hard over the past two years to restore the hotel which had water pouring down the walls and was about to collapse when we took over,” he said.

“We have a draftsman working on it. After that an application has to go to the engineer then to Heritage Tasmania and then be submitted to council before work can even start.

“Twenty-eight days is not enough time to even pull it down. The few builders we have in Queenstown are booked out 12 months in advance. I don’t think the council can move in. They would also need to get three quotes from those same builders.”

Hunters Hotel in Queenstown as it was when the Wildenauers bought it in 2016

The council said the situation had unfolded after a member of the public raised concerns over the safety of the balcony, which sits over a public footpath.

“Upon consulting with the owners it was determined they would supply an engineer’s report to council to obtain the extent of the damage and determine what action needed taking to ensure public safety,” it said.

“As the owners did not supply a relevant, current engineer’s report, the council sought and received an expert opinion from a structural engineer. The report highlighted the significant risks associated with the structure and determined the most effective way to make the area safe was to dismantle the balcony.”

The council said Heritage Tasmania had advised dismantling and careful documentation would allow the structure to one day be restored.

“It is our preference that the owners will act to ensure the safety of the public and to preserve this important structure. An emergency order does not preclude other solutions,” the council said.